Make your own Ghee

[3DStudent]

Hello, I'd like to share the recipe for making your own ghee. As you may know, it's a healthy substitute for regular butter and Laura uses it. From _http://www.rwood.com/Recipes/Homemade_Ghee.htm :

Homemade Ghee

Accompanying article: Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Makes about 2 cups

It is critical to use unsalted butter to make ghee; and for the most flavorful result, use cultured butter. Organic Valley and some—but not all—European-Style butters are both cultured and unsalted. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled but requires increased cooking time.

1 pound cultured, unsalted organic butter

Place the butter in a heavy quart saucepan and melt over medium heat, do not cover the pot. When the butter starts foaming, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered and undisturbed for about 15 to 30 minutes, depending upon the heat and weight of the saucepan. As its water content vaporizes, it will foam and you’ll hear tiny, sharp crackling noises. The ghee is ready when it:

• Changes from a cloudy yellow to clear golden color
• Develops a popcorn-like aroma
• Stops foaming and making crackling noises
• Develops a thin, light tan, crust on the nearly motionless surface
• The milk solids at the bottom turn from white to tan

Keep a close watch on the ghee and remove from the heat when done. (If overcooked, it browns and starts foaming.) Let cool until it is just warm.

Pour through a fine sieve or through several layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass storage jar. Discard he strained out solids. When the ghee is completely cool, cover tightly and store in a dry place away from direct sun light. It doesn't require refrigeration. Always use a clean spoon to dip into it.

Variation: Oven-made Ghee

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the butter in a 1½ to 2 quart casserole or oven-proof pot. Place the butter in the oven without a lid and allow it to clarify, undisturbed, for 1 hour. As it boils and foams the water content vaporizes and if you open the oven you'll hear tiny, sharp crackling noises. The ghee is ready as detailed above.

Remove the ghee from the oven. Skim off the crust and, if desired, use it as a flavoring agent.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood

I've made my own with salted butter because I couldn't find unsalted. I don't think it matters too much, the unsalted will taste better though. Also watch out for when it foams up. If it starts getting too high, turn down the heat more or pull the pot off the heat. I strain mine with a steel strainer and a paper towel folded once. I tried it with just one layer of paper towel and it wasn't enough, it had little brown things in it, which is the milk that you don't want.

Organic butter is best to use because toxins are stored in fat. So this may or may not be cheaper than just buying ghee, depending on prices. Have fun and good luck!

 

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

Hi everyone,

I think I need your advice: I've just made ghee (organic salted butter) and its colour is like maple syrup, not golden nor yellow (It does smell really good though, like buttered popcorn).
Does anybody know if it's edible? Did I leave it for too long?

Thank you!

 

[3DStudent]

I think it might be ok. It would depend on how brown it is. It usually is a little brown, like a golden color. This browning is the fried fat solids giving it color. I once left mine on the burner and it was a dark brown and had a bad smell. It looked like soot was on the bottom. This of course would be too burned and probably carcinogenic. But I think a dark amber color should be fine. If your milk solids are closer to black then they are too burned. If they stick to the bottom of the pan they should be 1-2 mm granules, not dark and soot-like. You said it smells good and like popcorn, so it should be ok I think, because people say that's how it smells when it's done. Just as long as your milk solids aren't too small I think it should be ok, because they will not filter out if small. FWIW.

 

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

Thank you for your answer, 3D Student!

Now that it has set and has become more solid (I put it in an airtight glass jar, stored in the dark), it has the colour and appearance of honey.
And we had some this morning on our buckwheat pancakes, with xylitol and cinnamon and it was very nice!
Thanks for your input!

 

[3DStudent]

No problem Mrs.Tigersoap. I actually just came back from eating leftover buckwheat pancakes from breakfast :P.

 

[dugdeep]

Hi guys,

I overcooked my ghee once similar to what you're saying Mrs.Tigersoap and I think it was fine. I really liked the way it tasted - almost had a carmel flavour to it (although not sweet). I actually tried to repeat the process again a few times afterwords but got impatient :)

My most recent batch I think I actually undercooked. It seems to be kind of grainy, which makes me think it still has milk proteins in it. Next time I'll use the directions you posted here, 3D Student.

Thanks!

 

[aragorn]

I made my first ghee today and it was a surprisingly painless procedure. Since I couldn't find cheesecloth in the store I used a coffee filter, which worked nicely. Most coffee filters probably have chemicals in them so I won't make this a permanent solution. The ghee in the glass jar looks beautiful and tastes delicious, thanks for the recipe!

A few weeks ago I learned, by eating two tiny slices of feta cheese, that I'm extremely sensitive to dairy. I've been off dairy products since February but I've continued to use regular butter. After the incident, and two sleepless nights I might add(!), I decided to only use ghee which I found ready made at an oriental food store. After one week I noticed how my detoxing really reached a new level of efficiency. I guess the continuous use of regular butter was holding back my cleansing. So, I highly recommend trying a butterless diet for a few weeks. :)

 

[3DStudent]

Since I couldn't find cheesecloth in the store I used a coffee filter, which worked nicely.

Cool, congrats on your ghee! I tried to use a coffee filter once to strain it, but it dripped so incredibly slowly. If it strains that slow you run the risk of it becoming room temperature and it it will solidify and never drip through.

Recently I tested for ghee and I passed on store bought. But with my own I seemed to feel a little off and I could see some little specks of solids left. I need to strain mine better. I normally use a paper towel and all the brown solids quickly stick to it. I think I might use a double tiered system with a paper towel on a sieve dripping onto another paper towel on a sieve.. :P

 

[dugdeep]

I tried to use a coffee filter once to strain it, but it dripped so incredibly slowly. If it strains that slow you run the risk of it becoming room temperature and it it will solidify and never drip through.

I found this too with the coffee filter. At one point it seemed to stop dripping altogether; maybe because it was getting closer to room temperature, as you mention 3D Student. I have a fairly fine mesh sieve and find that's all I really need. Maybe I'll try your paper towel idea...

 

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

I have a fairly fine mesh sieve and find that's all I really need.

Me too. I use a little sieve/strainer that is usually used to steep/strain loose tea in a cup and it works really well.

 

[tridean]

Recently I tested for ghee and I passed on store bought. But with my own I seemed to feel a little off and I could see some little specks of solids left.

Hi 3D Student. That is interesting. So when you say a little off, is that in the form of nausea? I ask this because in recent times certain foods have started to make me nauseous, something they never used to do

Dingo

 

[3DStudent]

Hi 3D Student. That is interesting. So when you say a little off, is that in the form of nausea? I ask this because in recent times certain foods have started to make me nauseous, something they never used to do

Dingo

Hi Dingo, when I say off I mean like a slightly warming sensation internally and knowing that what I just ate isn't agreeing with me. That's what happens when I don't pass when testing a food. I wouldn't say it's a nauseous feeling.

 

[tridean]

Hi 3D Student. That is interesting. So when you say a little off, is that in the form of nausea? I ask this because in recent times certain foods have started to make me nauseous, something they never used to do

Dingo

Hi Dingo, when I say off I mean like a slightly warming sensation internally and knowing that what I just ate isn't agreeing with me. That's what happens when I don't pass when testing a food. I wouldn't say it's a nauseous feeling.

I see, thanks. I haven't experienced anything like that.

 

[3DStudent]

I just wanted to warn anyone that I am currently debating whether you can actually remove all of the milk from homemade ghee. I made a big batch recently and used too thin a paper towel to strain it. Seeing that it had some brown specks in it I used a thicker towel and strained it again. This time no specks, but when I ate some I felt a little off.

Mothers that post on allergy forums I have looked at say that there's no way you can get out all of the milk. And thus they recommend never giving it to their kids with allergies. I will strain mine again, but after that I might just use it for an oil lamp. Apparently you can use olive and even vegetable oil in lamps. Here is one of the ways you can do it with a jar and a wick through the lid. Other ways use a bent wire to hold the wick with an open top and half full jar.

The only ghee I know is certified caseine and lactose free is this, which is expensive compared to homemade. I think I just may have a butter allergy. I used organic butter for this, btw. So, just throwing it out there if anyone doesn't tolerate it. And if you have a lot of ghee lying around you can use it as a light source!

 

[Ollie]

I just wanted to warn anyone that I am currently debating whether you can actually remove all of the milk from homemade ghee. I made a big batch recently and used too thin a paper towel to strain it. Seeing that it had some brown specks in it I used a thicker towel and strained it again. This time no specks, but when I ate some I felt a little off.

Mothers that post on allergy forums I have looked at say that there's no way you can get out all of the milk. And thus they recommend never giving it to their kids with allergies. I will strain mine again, but after that I might just use it for an oil lamp. Apparently you can use olive and even vegetable oil in lamps. Here is one of the ways you can do it with a jar and a wick through the lid. Other ways use a bent wire to hold the wick with an open top and half full jar.

The only ghee I know is certified caseine and lactose free is this, which is expensive compared to homemade. I think I just may have a butter allergy. I used organic butter for this, btw. So, just throwing it out there if anyone doesn't tolerate it. And if you have a lot of ghee lying around you can use it as a light source!

I use the same process as you for making ghee, bringing it to the boil ans simmering until it stops crackling and the surface is still, let it cool and I strain it through a double layer of muslin cloth laid in a fine sieve strainer, into a pyrex jug, and check for any residue. I use unsalted organic butter, I don't know if this makes a difference. I tested myself for sensitivity to ghee and it is ok.